Stripes
by harley.doll
Summary: The contents of Freddie's closet lead Carly to a very interesting conclusion. Seddie.


[AN:_I own nothing. Enjoy!_]

Stripes. Broad stripes and narrow stripes, horizontal stripes and vertical ones; red, orange, blue yellow and green stripes. Every morning when Freddie Benson opened his closet, hundreds, no, _thousands_ of stripes greeted him. The sight generally perked him up, readying him for the day that lay ahead. Whether it contained school and fencing, or iCarly and spaghetti tacos, Freddie's stripes were ever present, ready to face whatever came his way.

Today was no different. Spencer was treating Freddie, Carly and Sam to lunch at the Cheesecake Warehouse to thank them for pulling an all-nighter with him. ("I just get so lonely down here, sculpting all by my lonesome," he'd said.) Freddie was standing before his stripe-laden closet trying to decide what to wear when someone knocked on his door.

"I promise I double-pooed Mom," he shouted pulling out two shirts for comparison. "There's no need for my signature."

The door opened and Freddie heard a giggle. He looked around his closet door to see Carly walk in, one hand over her eyes. "Well I'm glad you take your 'poo ritual so seriously," she said.

"Very funny," Freddie replied. "And you can open your eyes, I'm wearing a t-shirt."

"Then get a move on Benson! I'm hungry!" Carly walked over to where Freddie stood, intent on helping him pick a shirt until she saw the inside of his closet.

"Whoa," Carly said, walking to his closet and opening both doors as wide as they'd go. "It's like a colorful zebra exploded."

Freddie laughed. "That's an interesting way of putting it. Now come help me decide: brown, grey and yellow or orange, blue and white?"

Carly turned to him and surveyed the choices he held out. "Orange, blue and white. And while you finish dressing, why don't we discuss your stripe addiction?" Carly sat down in his desk chair and began spinning, awaiting his response.

"I do not have a stripe addiction. I just think they make me look more mature."

Carly raised an eyebrow. "More mature," she echoed.

"Yes, more mature," Freddie said defensively. "Dignified even." Freddie walked into the bathroom as Carly stopped spinning and called out to him.

"So you're saying that the excess of stripes in your closet has nothing to do with how much Sam hates them?"

"Sam wears stripes all the time. I didn't realize they bothered her," Freddie called back. Carly rolled her eyes.

"Oh don't even try it Freddie. I remember telling you specifically 'Sam hates stripes on guys'."

"No, you said that Sam hated stripes."

"Ah ha! So you do remember the conversation in question!" Carly stood and crossed her arms as Freddie walked out of the bathroom. He grabbed his watch while diligently avoiding Carly's gaze.

"Come on, I think I hear Spencer calling," Freddie said, fastening his watch. He turned towards the door, but Carly beat him to it.

"Spencer's down in the lobby with Sam," she said, blocking Freddie's path.

"Then we should be on our way down there. You know how Sam gets when she has to wait for a meal," Freddie replied, reaching for the door. Carly smacked his hand away.

"She'll survive. Come on, all I want is for you to admit why you have so many stripes and then we can go."

Freddie stepped back and crossed his arms. "There's nothing to admit. I like stripes."

"Stripes or Sam," Carly countered. Freddie's eyebrows shot up.

"That's what this is? You think I like Sam? That's crazy. It's almost Lewbert crazy, actually. _I _do not like Sam. If I did, I'd want her to like what I wear. But she never will because I wear stripes and Sam hates stripes on guys, so she hates everything I wear and that makes me very happy because I do not like Sam!"

Carly bit her lip, trying to hold back a giggle. "Me thinks the lady doth protest too much," she said grinning. Freddie groaned and Carly laughed as she turned to open the door. Freddie trudged along behind her as she skipped to the elevator. Once inside, she pressed the lobby button and then turned to study Freddie. He risked a glance in her direction and saw that she was still smiling brightly. _The creative mind would call that smile 'mischievous,'_ Freddie thought.

"Fredward Puckett," she said aloud. "It has a nice ring to it." Freddie stifled another groan as the elevator door slid open announcing their arrival. Linking arms with Freddie, Carly walked into the lobby smiling brightly at Sam. "We're here! Where's Spencer?"

"You two were taking too long, so he went to get the car," Sam said, standing and stretching. Sunlight caught in her hair and for a split second Freddie was almost entranced by the sight. He turned away just as Sam finished her stretch and looked at Carly. Once again, her knowing smile told him that she hadn't missed any of that. Freddie immediately looked down as Carly sighed happily. Sam glanced at her, the corners of her own mouth pulling up slightly at the sight of Carly's smile. "Why are you all grinny?"

"Because it's such a beautiful day. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping….you could almost say it's the perfect day to fall in love. Don't you think so Freddie," Carly said, looking at Freddie. Sam raised an eyebrow and looked to him for an answer.

"Um, she inhaled some fumes in my house. My mom, new antibacterial spray, you know, crazy stuff like that," Freddie said chuckling nervously. Over Sam's shoulder he saw a car pull up and he let out a sigh of relief. Never in his life had he been so happy to see Spencer. "Shotgun," he called over his shoulder as he ran past Sam and out to the car. They watched as he practically dove into the car and shut the door so fast it made Spencer jump. Sam turned and looked at Carly. "What was that all about?"

Still grinning Carly looped her abandoned arm through Sam's. "I dunno. I think it might have something to do with puberty."

Sam shook her head. "I'm so glad I'm not a guy." Arms linked they walked out the door and to the car. "Ugh," Sam said as they climbed in. "Your stripes are blinding me, Frednub." Carly threw back her head and laughed as Freddie sank into his seat.

"Yeah," she said between giggles. "Today is gonna be a very good day."


End file.
